Topically active steroids for use in interstitial pulmonary fibrosis

A method of delivering a locally active topical active corticosteroid or metabolite thereof to a subject's pulmonary artery for treatment of an interstitial lung disease by administering to the subject an effective amount of an oral dosage such that administration consists of oral ingestion of the corticosteroid or metabolite, wherein the locally active topical active corticosteroid is beclomethasone dipropionate and further wherein the metabolite found in the systemic circulation is 17-beclomethasone monopropionate.

A method for preventing, ameliorating and/or treating damage resulting from an interstitial lung disease, the method comprising delivering to a subject's pulmonary artery a metabolite of an orally administered locally active topical active corticosteroid such that oral administration consists of oral ingestion in a dose that is greater than the corticosteroid delivered via inhalation, wherein the topical active corticosteroid is beclomethasone dipropionate and further wherein the metabolite found in the systemic circulation is 17-beclomethasone monopropionate.